Flexible and Environment Responsive Mass H ousing in Bangalore, India

Bangalore is one of the fastest urbanizing cities in India due to rapid increase in population and migration of people from varied and distinct cultural backgrounds. This has resulted in rapid development of high density housing characterized by towers of repetitive units. Most modern housing developments are focused on the repetition of units suitable for an average dweller, without taking into consideration the diverse and dynamic needs and wants of individuals and society. What is ironic is that for centuries now, most societies have produced housing it requires, naturally and indigenously. The traditional vernacular architecture has always been in empathy with the environment. This project develops options for a prototype housing unit and tests it by an analysis using the TAS software package for achieving flexibility without compromising on natural ventilation. It then develops a residential cluster which can be used as a model for future developments in Bangalore.